Egyptian Art

Ancient Egyptian art is the painting, sculpture, and architecture

produced by the civilization in the Nile Valley from 5000 BCE
to 300 CE. In Ancient Egypt, the Bronze Age began in the
Protodynastic period circa 3,150 BCE.
Egyptian Art can be divided into five periods:

• Pre-Dynastic and Early Dynastic Periods (c. 3500–2575 BCE)

• Old Kingdom (c. 2575–2134 BCE) the “age of pyramids”
• Middle Kingdom (c. 2040–1640 BCE)
• New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BCE)
• Late and Ptolemaic Period (c. 1070-30 BCE)
• Ancient Egyptian art reached considerable sophistication in painting and
sculpture and was both highly stylized and symbolic.
• The Nile River, with its predictable flooding and abundant natural
resources, allowed the ancient Egyptian civilization and culture to thrive
sustainably.
• Much of the surviving art comes from tombs and monuments; hence, the
emphasis on life after death and the preservation of knowledge of the past.
• Most elements of Egyptian art remained remarkably stable over this 3,000
year period, with relatively little outside influence.
• Much of Egyptian art revolved around the theme of permanence, as artists
endeavoured to preserve everything from the present as clearly and
permanently as possible.
• Symbolism, ranging from the pharaoh’s regalia (signifying his power to
maintain order) to depictions of goddesses, gods, and animals, is
omnipresent in Egyptian art.
• Colours also served symbolic purposes to suggest concepts such as youth,
royalty, or divinity.